Bayern Munich to open football academy in West Bengal

Kolkata, April 29 (IANS) One of the leading football clubs in Europe, FC Bayern Munich, has evinced interest to set up a football academy in West Bengal, Kolkata-based real estate major Bengal Peerless Housing Development Co Ltd (BPHDC) managing director K.S. Bagchi said. “We have received a letter from the Bayern Munich club officials April 25 where they expressed their keen interest to open a football academy in West Bengal,” Bagchi told reporters here Tuesday.

He said talks were on with the club officials but it was now in the fluid stage.

He said: “Bayern Munich will provide training to aspirant footballers in Bengal and they will also take five best footballers every year from the academy to Germany for advanced training programme. Five footballers will undergo training in Germany for two weeks.”

He said initially some land has been identified in Burdwan district of West Bengal.

“We need permission from the state government to set a football training centre there. We are planning to develop this centre as a residential academy,” Bagchi said, adding the project would be financed by some private agency. But nothing has been finalised yet.

BPHDC has already bagged the rights to organise an exhibition match between German side FC Bayern Munich and local side Mohun Bagan May 27 at Salt Lake Stadium here.

Kahn is also scheduled to bid adieu to his professional football carrier after this match in Kolkata.

Bagchi said the FC Bayern Munich’s board of directors including the club chairman, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, will soon visit West Bengal.

“We are planning to take them to the site where we have identified the land to build up the training academy,” he said.